Pellet dispenser for flat circular pellets



Sept 16, 1969 A. c. ToLLlvER 3,467,277

PELLET DISPENSER FOR FLAT CIRCULAR PELLETS Filed Jan. 17, 1968 FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

ALBERT C, TOLL IVER AGENT United States Patent O l 3,467,277 PELLET DISPENSER FOR FLAT CIRCULAR PELLETS Albert C. Tolliver, Summit, NJ., assignor to Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation, Newark, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 17, 1968, Ser. No. 698,532 Int. Cl. B65g 59/ 00 U.S. Cl. 221-264 1 Claim ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The present invention deals with a pellet dispenser for dispensing flat circular pellets. The dispenser c ,omprises an elongated table having upper and lower surfaces with a horizontal slot formed therein intermediate the upper and lower surfaces. An upper tubular nipple extends upwardly from the upper surface and a lower tubular nipple depends from the lower surface, both nipples communicating with the slot. An elongated key member is slidably mounted in the horizontal slot. The key member is provided with both a circuliar aperture and an elongated aperture spaced from the circular aperture longitudinally of the key. A vertical bore is formed through the table and a retaining pin is mounted in the bore and passes through the elongated key aperture.

Background of the invention In dispensers for compressed powder dental alloy pellets, there is the problem that the dispenser action deteriorates somewhat when the sliding mechanism accumulates powder lost from the pellets. While dispensers of various construction are known, there is a need for a simpliied dispenser construction having a minimum of moving parts and in which the slidingmechanism or dispensing key is readily removable for cleaning purposes without the need of a tool or tools for disassembly.

Summary of the invention In accordance with the invention, there isA provided a pellet dispenser of sturdy and simple construction made substantially completely of parts (excepting a spring member) composed of molded synthetic resin, e.g. a formaldehyde-phenol resin, with the sliding mechanism being readily removable for cleaning purposes by means of an easily finger-removable slide or key retaining pin.

Description of the drawings FIGURE 1 illustrates a top view of the pellet dispenser of the invention,

FIGURE 2 illustrates a bottom view of the dispenser,

FIGURE 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 illustrates a partly elevational and partly cross-sectional view along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 5 illustrates a top view of a component of the invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to the figures, the dispenser comprises a substantially elongated rectangular table 1 having a top surface 2 and a bottom surface 3 with supporting legs 4 and 5 spaced from each other and each positioned at an opposite end 6 and 7 of the table. The table 1 is provided with a horizontal slot 8 formed therein intermediate the upper surface 2 and lower surface 3 and opening at least through one opposite end of the table for the insertion of a key therein as hereinafter more particularly described. A blind bore 9` is formed in one end 7 below the horizontal slot 8. A tubular nipple 10 extends upwardly from the upper surface 2 and a lower tubular nipple 11, spaced from the upper nipple 10 longitudinally of the table, depends from the lower surface 3 intermediate legs 4 and 5, both nipples 10 and 11 being in open communication with the slot 8. A small bore 12 is formed through the bottom surface 3 in communication with the slot 8 and located vertically below the upper nipple 10. This small bore 12 is for the purpose of eliminating some of the powder lost from pellets being dispensed. A second vertical bore 13 is formed through the upper and lower surfaces of the table in communication with slot 8.

The slot 8 is preferably a U-shaped slot as illustrated in FIGURE 4. An elongated key 14 having a U-shaped cross-section dimensioned for slidable insertion into the slot 8 is provided intermediate its longitudinal sides with a pair of apertures 15 and 16 spaced from each other longitudinally of the key. The key is further provided with a thumb piece 17 at one end thereof forming an abutment face 18 between the legs 19 and 20 of the U-shaped key. A helical spring member 21 is inserted into the blind bore 9 with a portion thereof extending outwardly of the bore. Thereafter the key 14 is inserted into the U-shaped slot 8 with the abutment face 18 of thumb piece 17 contacting the free end of spring 21. The thumb piece is then depressed toward table 1 until the circular aperture 15 is aligned with the nipple 10 and the elongated aperture 16 is aligned with bore 13. In such position, a pin 22 having a head 23 is snug-fitted through aperture 13 thereby retaining the key 14 in the slot 8, the spring 21 thereby biasing one end of the elongated slot 16 against the pin 22.

In operation, an open end of tube 24, shown in broken lines and containing a quantity of vertically stacked flat circular pellets (not shown) is mounted in the well defined by the nipple 10. In this position one of the pellets is gravitationally positioned into the pellet receiving aperture 15. Upon depression of thumb piece 17, the aperture 15 containing a pellet is moved longitudinally of the table until it aligns with lower nipple 11 and the pellet gravitationally falls therethrough into a capsule (not shown) for further processing. The operation is repeated for further dispensing. A'fter some use, when cleaning of the dispenser becomes desirable, it is only necessary to linger remove the retaining pin 22 which releases the key 14 for cleaning and the key is subsequently reinserted as above described.

I claim:

1. A pellet dispenser comprising an elongated table having upper and lower surfaces, a horizontal slot in the table intermediate the upper and lower surfaces, an upper tubular nipple extending upwardly from the upper surface, a lower tubular nipple spaced from the upper nipple longitudinally of the table and depending from the lower surface, both nipples being in open communication with the slot, an elongated key member slidably mounted in the slot, the key member having both a circular aperture and an elongated aperture formed therethrough, a thumb piece Vat one end of the key member, the elongated aperture passing through the elongated key aperture, a horizontal kblind bore in the table below the slot, a helical spring means mounted in said blind bore and engaging the thumb apiece of said key, the horizontal slot having a U-shaped cross-section and the key means also having a U-shaped cross-section and being slidably engageable with the U- shaped slot, whereby the said key member is maintained under operable spring tensionsolely by means of said removable retaining pin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,112,511 3/1938 Williams 221-264 X 2,683,554 7/ 1954 Mulhauser 221--264 X 2,684,783` 7/1954 Ahlstrom 221--264 X STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner 

